Stem cell debate set to reopen

Stem cell researchers are gearing up for the reopening of the stem cell debate next year, when federal government legislation covering the use of spare IVF embryos and the moratorium on therapeutic cloning -- otherwise known as nuclear transfer -- comes up for review.

And researchers in the field believe the time is ripe for re-igniting the debate, which stalled when it was last aired, in 2002, over the controversial use of embryonic stem cells, obtained from spare IVF embryos or by the use of nuclear transfer techniques. "In 2004, the stem cell world is a very different place," says Peter Mountford, the CEO of Stem Cell Sciences. "There is no question that there will be embryonic stem cell therapies."

But recent comments from federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane suggest that the debate may not be smooth sailing for stem cell researchers. "The [biotechnology] industry will have to defend, promote and explain itself again," he told delegates at a recent biotechnology conference.

Macfarlane reminded scientists and the biotech industry of the furore that arose when prominent stem cell researcher Prof Alan Trounson was forced to admit he had made a mistake in referring to a rat whose spinal cord was repaired by the use of embryonic stem cells, when in fact embryonic germ cells, from slightly older foetuses. Scientists should not make similar mistakes this time around, Macfarlane warned.

The Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 and the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 were passed December 19, 2002 after more than six months of fiery political and public debate, and by law are scheduled for review following the two-year anniversary since receiving royal assent.

Among the prohibitions in the Research Involving Human Embryos Act was a clause that prohibited the use of any IVF embryos created after the cut off date of April 5, 2002 for experiments that would damage or destroy the embryo -- including creation of new human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. But the restriction is subject to a sunset clause repealing it on April 5, 2005.

"We need to remove these variables," says Assoc Prof Martin Pera, who heads up the embryonic stem cell research at the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC).

More controversial will be the debate on the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002, which prohibits the creation of human embryos, either by fertilisation or by other techniques including cloning and nuclear transfer, for any reason other than for reproduction, and which specifically prohibits cloning of any sort.

ESC researchers believe that the use of techniques including nuclear transfer is essential for the continued development of the research. They commonly revert to the argument that many of the early hESC lines were created using animal cells to support the cell lines, and thus are unsuitable for clinical use, so new lines need to be developed using techniques more likely to be approved by regulatory agencies.

"Therapeutic cloning is a better way to create new cell lines than the use of IVF embryos," Mountford says. "There is still an opportunity to refine the legislation, and to put down more substantial legislation, especially in the area of therapeutic cloning."

Opponents of ESC research argue that new therapies are more likely to come from adult stem cells. But in the last couple of years, animal studies have demonstrated the potential of hESC in cell-based therapies for a variety of diseases.

Pera says that since 2000, when embryonic stem cells were first shown to be capable of differentiating into nerve cells, the process has now become controllable, and animal studies demonstrating the use of ESC-derived nerve cells to treat neurodegenerative disease are soon to be published by international research groups.

Mountford says that when the debate is reopened, his company, Stem Cell Sciences, will contribute its knowledge.

"We want to try to make sure that the debate is on an informed basis," he says. "We have a very broad understanding of the issues." Hugh Niall, the CEO of the ASCC, which is funding both ESC and adult stem cell research, says the debate will be very important to the centre -- and, like last time, it will be an emotive debate.

"Issues where people have strong views are always going to be emotive," he says. "It's important that the debate is open and everyone contributes to it."